2009 HR Industry Leader Of The Year Finalists

Years with company: 8
Years in current position: 8
Company established: 2001
No. of employees in AZ: 2.5www.bestcompaniesaz.com

Eight years ago, Denise Gredler had a vision that great places to work should be recognized for providing an environment in which employees thrive and grow.

Gredler founded BestCompaniesAZ and has realized her dream through an annual competition that fosters a competitive spirit in Arizona’s business community. Those companies that are recognized as best places to work are promoted on Gredler’s Web site and through the news media. Underlying all this effort is a desire by Gredler to help Arizona employers attract and retain talented employees.

The first competition attracted 100 applicants and 20 were selected as winners. Today, about 300 companies participate in the competition and 100 are recognized as outstanding places to work.
But Gredler doesn’t stop there. She provides a mix of human resources, public relations, marketing, branding and award-consultation services to winning companies and those that aspire to win. She also sponsors a variety of programs, workshops and events to give employers cost-effective tools to improve the workplace and help them reap the benefits associated with being named an outstanding place to work. Gredler visits member-based organizations to promote the financial rewards and benefits of employee engagement and best-place-to-work programs.

Gredler also reaches out to job seekers. For example, she recently introduced the Arizona’s BEST Give Back Campaign, a program designed to help mid-level career professionals find employment. Gredler and her staff also conduct free weekly workshops for the unemployed. Job hunters can go to her Web site to identify and research Arizona’s best places to work.

Years with company: 7.5
Years in current position: 7.5
Company established: 2002
No. of employees in AZ: 75
No. of employees in HR dept.: 6www.synergyseven.com

As vice president of the human resources division at Synergy Seven, Cindy Jones draws upon a strong background and 20 years of experience to keep the firm at the forefront of human resources consulting.

Combining her skills as a behavioral analyst, trained mediator and human resources veteran, Jones has extensive experience in helping managers implement effective people practices that engage employees, while maintaining compliance with employment regulations. She is described as a results-oriented consultant and strategist with a proven track record of helping organizations manage the human side of their business.

Jones also leads Synergy Seven’s human resources consulting practice. She and her team of professionals shape the company’s services by combining results-oriented business practices with certified expertise in a variety of areas.

Jones is certified in senior professional human resources and is a certified professional behavioral analyst, certified attributes index analyst and certified professional values analyst. In addition, Jones serves on the board of a nonprofit charter school, leading their rewards and compensation committee. She is sought out by companies throughout Phoenix as a featured speaker on human resources regulations and trends.

All of Jones’ experience is brought to bear on her responsibilities at Synergy Seven, a certified woman-owned Phoenix firm that is a national provider of human resources consulting, technological contract and direct-hire staffing services. Synergy Seven provides expertise in training and development, regulatory compliance, benefits and compensation, administration and records, recruitment and selection, risk management, and employee relations. Its clients include startup companies and Fortune 50 firms.